Fort Worth pastor says faith stronger than nature's wrath

Published: Thursday, March 30, 2000

FORT WORTH {AP} A Fort Worth pastor said his congregation's faith in God is stronger than the powerful tornado that destroyed his church.

"Calvary Cathedral International is a church that has always triumphed over adversity," said the Rev. Bob Nichols as he surveyed the damage Wednesday. "It looks like a battlefield, and yet God brought us miraculously through."

The 31-year-old church building was virtually destroyed by Tuesday night's tornado that cut a path of destruction through downtown Fort Worth. A dome atop the sanctuary was ripped apart and chunks of yellow brick lay on mangled cars piled in a mass of debris strewn for blocks.

The walls were stripped from the church's centerpiece, a five-story prayer tower referred to by congregation members as the "Power Tower." Since 1995, the tower, which is open 24 hours a day, has handled more than 200,000 requests for prayers from people around the world.

On Wednesday, all that was left of the tower was its metal framework, which leaned slightly to one side. In the center of the framework, the stairwell leading to the top dangled in the air.

Tuesday evening, the two women volunteers in the prayer tower huddled at the base of the stairwell when the storm hit and savage winds ripped away brick and mortar.

Barbara Green, a church member whose son attends kindergarten parochial classes at the church, said she spoke with one of the volunteers, Sue Billou, who was inside the church when the tornado struck.

"Sue said the Holy Spirit spoke to her heart and said you are safe in the palm of my hand, and she felt at peace," Green said.

More than 100 people were in the church when the storm hit, most at an adult Bible study. Some huddled in the hallway with Nichols.

"The whole building was shaking like a leaf," Nichols said. "It made a sickening sound, like a freight train."

Nichols said the 120,000-square-foot interdenominational church, which has about 3,000 members, will be rebuilt.